Fastening assembly

ABSTRACT

A fastener assembly for mounting with an apertured support panel comprising a pair of complementary nut sections attached to an end portion of an adjustment screw. The nut sections being folded about said screw in a confronting face-to-face relationship with each nut section having an arcuately concave threaded section for engagement with the threads of the screw when said members are in face-to-face relationship. The nut includes deflectable shank elements adapted for locking the fastener assembly in the support panel.

United States Pat t 1191 Moran June 26, 1973 FASTENING ASSEMBLY [75]Inventor: Thomas M. Moran, Cleveland, Ohio [73] Assignee: EatonCorporation, Cleveland, Ohio [22] Filed: May 27, 1971 [2l] Appl. No.:147,571

[52] US. Cl... 85/72, 85/32 V, 85/DIG. 2,

85/80, 85/1, 85/9, 151/4175 [51] Int. Cl. F16!) 37/10 [58] Field ofSearch 85/DlG. 2, 80, 72,

85/32, 33, 3 R, 3 K; l5l/4l.75, 22; 18/42 R; 249/59, 66 C; 426/436 PM[56] References Cited I UNlTED'STATES PATENTS 3,074,134 l/l963BuechlerQ. 85/72 2,352,540 6/l944 Hanneman 3,054,145 9/1962 Helpa3,164,418 111965 Bieseckerufl.

4/1970 Wigam 85/72 3,574,899 4/l97l Fisher 85/80 3,588,792 6/1971Kindell.... 151/69 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,083,032 9/1967Great Britain..... l5l/4l.75

Primary Examiner-Edward C. Allen Att0rney-Teagn0 & Toddy [57] ABSTRACTcludes deflectable shank elements adapted for locking the fastenerassembly in the support panel.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented June 26, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

THOMAS M. MORAN A TTORNE YS Patented June 26, 1373 3,741,067

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. THOMAS M. MORAN ATTORNEYS FASTENING ASSEMBLYBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally tofastening devices, and more particularly to a fastening assembly formounting two panels or more in adjustable spaced relationship such as invehicle headlamp adjustment mountings.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fastener assemblyhaving a threaded screw type member and two complimentary nut halvesadapted for Heretofore it has been known to provide fasteners ofthreaded a separate threading operation of the fastener was required aswell as involving a separate operation for threadably connecting thethreaded member to the fastener of fastener assemblies.

SUMMARY 'The present invention provides an improved inexpensiveone-piece plastic fastener assembly including a plug-type fastenermember and a threaded member for mounting two or more panels in spacedrelationship.

Apair of complementary nut halves comprise the plug-type fastenermember, each nut half having a pair of transverse slots forming flexibleshank sections to facilitate initial insertion of the fastener member inthe support member aperture.

The nut halves are connected to the threaded member intermediate the tipand threaded portion by oppositely disposed rupturable web members. Thenut halves are foldable about the threaded member in a clockwisedirection to enfold the threaded member therebetween.

Each nut half is formed with a semi-cylindrical threaded central recessand with 'adowelpin on one side of this recess and acorresponding holeon the other side. Each of the dowel pins cooperating with the hole ofthe other member to hold and align the nut halves when they are broughttogether, thus forming a continuous uninterrupted thread for engagementwith the threaded member and also for maintaining the nut halves about.the threaded member. v

The threaded member has helically wound threads of constant crestdiameter. An upper portion of the threaded member has a root diameterwhich is larger than the root diameter of the lower portion of thethreaded member. As thethreaded member is turned into the fastenerdevice the nut halves are caused to expand outwardly because thethreaded member has a larger root diameter. The fastening device beingconstrained from excessive separation by the walls of the support memberaperture, thereby binds the threaded member thus preventing anyretrograde rotation of the threaded member due to vibratory forcesimparted to the fastening assembly during normal usage.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved fastener assembly.

Another object is to provide an improved one piece molded fastenerassembly.

A further object is to provide an improved and inexpensively producedone piece fastener assembly.

folding about the threaded screw member for engage ment therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unitary fastenerassembly for mounting two or more panels in spaced relationship.

Another object is to provide a unitary fastener assembly having anexternally threaded member and two complementary internally threaded nuthalf segments, each of said segments being connected to the externallythreaded member by a flexible and frangible member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying draw- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a frontelevation view of the fastening assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the fastening assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the fastening assembly of FIG. 1. v

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the fastening assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the fastening assembly of FIG. 1 whenpartly closed.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the fastener assembly of FIG/1 whenclosed.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view, partly in section, of the fasteningassembly mounted in a support panel and retaining a second panel. I

FIG. 8. is an enlarged front elevation view of the screw of FIG. 1showing the different root diameters.

' DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 7 of the drawings,the fastener assembly, generally designated as 1, is mounted with anapertured support member S, 'such as a panel or the like, for mountingand maintaining another panel, such as P, in adjustable, spaced relationwith. respect to the support member S. The support member S is providedwith an aperture A for receiving the fastener assembly 1. As shown, thefastener assembly 1 comprises a fastener member 3 adapted for insertionin aperture A of the support member S and a threaded member 2 which isthreadably engaged with the fastener member 3 for adjustably mountingthe panel P in spaced relation with respect to the support member S.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 5, the fastener assembly 1 isshown ascomprising a one piece device, preferably of a plastic type material.FIGS. 1 to 4 disclose the fastener assembly 1 in its initial moldedrelationship. The assembly includes threaded member 2 and a fastenermember 3 having complementary first and second nut segments 4 and 5respectively which are integrally joined to the threaded member 2 by apair of reduced thickness web means 6. These web means 6 are flexibleand frangible and permit folding of the first and second nut segments 4and 5 about the threaded member 2 as shown in FIG. 5. v i

The first and second nut segments 4 and 5 are formed with complementaryfaces 7 and 7 respectively so that each face 7 and 7 is aligned on aplane normal to the longitudinal central axis of the threaded member 2and in opposite direction to each other.

The faces 7 and 7' of each nut segment 4 and 5 are formed with asemi-cylindrical central recess or bore 8 and 8. Each recess 8 and 8 isthreaded at 9 and 9 respectively for engagement with the threads 10 ofthe threaded member 2. The threads on each face 7 and 7 are interruptedby a planar surface lying in a plane parallel to the axis of thethreaded member 2. Nut segments 4 and 5 are identically formed with eachsegment containing thread portions forming a continuous thread with theother segment when the segments are brought into face to face alignmentand for threaded engagement with the threads 10 of member 2.

Integral with the faces 7 and 7 of each nut segment 4 and 5 is a dowelpin 11 which extends outwardly from each face 7 and 7 on one side of thesemi-cylindrical recess 8 and 8. A corresponding hole 12 is formed onthe opposite side of recess 8 and 8'. As the two matching nut segments 4and 5 are swung or folded about the threaded member 2 as indicated inFIG. 5 to form a nut and screw assembly of type illustrated in FIG. 6,each of the dowel pins 11 and 11 enters the hole 12, 12' of the othernut segment 4 and 5. The dowel pins 11 and 11 and the mating holes 12,12 serve to align the nut segments 4 and 5 so that the interruptedthreads 9 and 9' form a continuous helical thread and also function tohold the two nut segments in mated relationship.

FIG. 6 illustrates a fastening assembly 1 wherein the complementary nutsegments 4 and 5 are in folded position about the threaded member 2prior to being inserted in a support member S.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 4 the nut segments 4 and 5 each includes arigid shank like body 13 having a head 14 and entering end 15. The body13 is generally rectangular in transverse cross section being defined bygenerally parallel side 16 and end walls 17 for insertion within thepanel aperture A.

In the form shown, the end walls' 17 are each provided with a groove 18providing transversely extending upper and lower shoulders 19 and 20respectively for engagement with the opposed faces 21 of the supportpanel S as shown in FIG. 7.

A transversely longitudinal slot 22 formed in the side walls 16 adjacentto and on each side of the semicylindrical recess 8, 8' forms flexibleshank ports 23 in body 13. The flexible shank portions 23 yield inwardlytofacilitate the initial insertion of the fastener member 3 within theaperture A of the support panel S. For example as the entering end ofthe fastener member 3 is inserted into the panel a'perture A, theflexible shank portions 23 yield inwardly until support panel S isretained in groove 18.

As seen in FIGS. 1 to 3 the faces 7 and 7 of each nut segment 4 and 5has an elongated recess 24 extending from the central recess 8 and 8 tothe end wall 17. The upper wall 25 of recess 24 extends generallyparallel to the entering end of the shank like body 13 and opens ontothe entering end 15 of the body 13. The recess 24 has a width and depthequal to or greater in size than the web means 6 so that the web means 6lies within the recess 24 as the nut segments 4 and 5 are folded aboutthe threaded member 2 for a face-to-face abutment of the nut segments 4and 5.

As shown in FIG. 8 the threaded member 2 includes a shank portion 26including a head portion 30 and a terminal dog point 32. The shankportion 26 has a threaded portion of helically wound threads 27 ofuniform diameter formed thereon and whose thread diameter 28 is equal tothat of the threads of the nut segments 4 and 5 to be threadablydisposed therein. The dog point 32 is unthreadedand of a transversedimension equal to or less than that of the adjacent thread rootdiameter 33.

The shank 26 is further characterized in that the upper portion C of theshank 26 has a thread root diameter 29 which is larger than the threadroot diameter 33 of the lower portion D of the shank 26, and the threadsof the upper portion C of shank 26 have a root diameter 29 whosetransverse dimension is larger than the transverse dimension of thethreads of the nut segments 4 and 5. As a result the threads of nutsegments 4 and 5 will frictionally engage the root diameter 29 of thethreaded member 2 with an interference fit.

After the nut segments 4 and 5 are rotated about the threaded member 2,as indicated in FIG. 5, into an enclosed position as in FIG. 6, thefastener assembly 1 is inserted into a support panel S as indicated inFIG. 7. As the threaded member 2 is rotated in the fastener member 3 theweb members are fractured freeing the threaded member 2 from each nutsegment 4 and 5 of the fastener member 3 with the web 6 remaining inrecess 24. Further rotation of the threaded member 2 into the fastenermember 3 results in a separation or expansion of the nut segments 4 and5 as the threads of the segments 4 and 5 engage the root diameter 27 ofthe upper portion C of the threaded member 2. The panel P may be mountedon the head 30 of the threaded member 2 via the annular groove 31,whereupon the selective axial movement of the threaded member 2 willresult in a corresponding movement of the panel P.

The foregoing arrangement thus provides a fastening assembly 1 of simpleconstruction for connecting and mounting panels in adjustably spacedrelationship. The nut segments 4 and 5 are connected to the threadedmember 2 by web members 6 and remains a unitary structure until furtherrotation of the threaded member 2 into the nut segments 4 and 5fractures the web members 6, resulting in a freely rotatably threadedmember 2. The fastening assembly 1 is firmly locked in a'panel apertureand retrograde rotation of the threaded memher 2 due to vibration islimited as a result of the binding of the threads on the upper section Cof the threaded member 2 with the threads of nut segments 4 and 5. Theuse of dowel pins 11 and 11 and corresponding mating holes 12 and 12 toalign and hold the nut segments 4 and 5 together also assures alignmentof groove 18 for abutment with the panel faces of support member S.

Although the present embodiment discloses thread means for engagementbetween members, other means for interengagement between members may-bemade without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A molded, one-piece fastener assembly having a first molded positionand a second assembled position for mounting in an aperture of a supportpanel, said fastener assembly comprising:

in said first molded position;

an externally-threaded member,

a first internally-threaded member disposed on one side of saidexternally-threaded member with the threaded portion thereof disposed ina cavity opening outward in a first direction and extending axially in adirection substantially parallel to said I externally-threaded member,

a second internally-threaded member disposed on the opposite side ofsaid externally-threaded member with its threaded portion in a cavityopening outward in a second direction opposite to said first directionand extending axially in a direction substantially parallel to saidexternally-threaded mem-v members being in face-to-face relation, saidthreaded member threadably received in said threaded bore and axiallydisposed in said threaded bore a predetermined distance.

2. The fastener assembly of claim 1 wherein saidexternally-threadedmember has an unthreaded dog point at its bottom and said web membersextend from opposite sides of said'dog point to said first and secondinternally-threaded members.

3. The fastener assembly of claim 2 wherein each internally-threadedmember has a recess disposed in its threaded portion side which receivessaid web members when said fastener is in its second position.

4. The fastener assembly of claim 2 wherein said threaded member has athreaded portion of nonuniform root diameter, said portion extendingabove and out of contact with said internally-threaded member when saidfastener assembly is in its second position.

5. The fastener assembly of claim 2 wherein said firstinternally-threaded member has an aperture in. its

. threaded segment side disposed a predetermined distance from saidexternally-threaded member and said second internally-threaded memberhas a dowel-like portion protruding from its threaded segment side atsaid predetermined distance from said externallythreaded member whensaidfastener assembly is in its first position, said dowel receivedwithin said aperture when said fastener assembly is in its secondposition.

6. A molded, one-piece fastener assembly for mounting in an aperture ofa support panel to maintain a second, slotted panel at a predetermineddistance from the support panel and having a first molded position and asecond assembled position, said fastener assembly comprising:

in said first molded position;

an externally threaded member having a portion of its head endunthreaded,

a first internally-threaded, half-nut member disposed on one side ofsaid externally-threaded member with the threaded portion thereofdisposed axially parallel to said externally-threaded member and openingoutward in a first direction,

a second internally-threaded, half-nut member disposed. on the oppositeside of said externallythreaded member with its threaded portion axiallyparallel to said externally-threaded member and opening outward in asecond direction opposite said first direction, a

a pair of thin frangible web members, said web member extending fromopposite sides of said threaded member to said first and secondinternallythreaded members respectively; and

said fastener assembly in its second assembled position having asubstantially closed threaded bore defined by said first and secondinternally-threaded members being in face-to-face relation and disposedin the aperture of said support member, said threaded member threadablyreceived in said threaded bore and axially disposed therein apredetermined distance, said unthreaded portion of saidexternally-threaded member engaging a slot in said

1. A molded, one-piece fastener assembly having a first molded position and a second assembled position for mounting in an aperture of a support panel, said fastener assembly comprising: in said first molded position; an externally-threaded member, a first internally-threaded member disposed on one side of said externally-threaded member with the threaded portion thereof disposed in a cavity opening outward in a first direction and extending axially in a direction substantially parallel to said externally-threaded member, a second internally-threaded member disposed on the opposite side of said externally-threaded member with its threaded portion in a cavity opening outward in a second direction opposite to said first direction and extending axially in a direction substantially parallel to said externally-threaded member, a pair of thin frangible web members, said web members extending from opposite sides of said threaded member to said first and second internally-threaded members respectively; and said fastener assembly in its second assembled position having a substantially closed threaded bore defined by said first and second internally-threaded members being in face-to-face relation, said threaded member threadably received in said threaded bore and axially disposed in said threaded bore a predetermined distance.
 2. The fastener assembly of claim 1 wherein said externally-threaded member has an unthreaded dog point at its bottom and said web members extend from opposite sides of said dog point to said first and second internally-threaded members.
 3. The fastener assembly of claim 2 wherein each internally-threaded member has a recess disposed in its threaded portion side which receives said web members when said fastener is in its second position.
 4. The fastener assembly of claim 2 wherein said threaded member has a threaded portion of non-uniform root diameter, said portion extending above and out of contact with said internally-threaded member when said fastener assembly is in its second position.
 5. The fastener assembly of claim 2 wherein said first internally-thReaded member has an aperture in its threaded segment side disposed a predetermined distance from said externally-threaded member and said second internally-threaded member has a dowel-like portion protruding from its threaded segment side at said predetermined distance from said externally-threaded member when said fastener assembly is in its first position, said dowel received within said aperture when said fastener assembly is in its second position.
 6. A molded, one-piece fastener assembly for mounting in an aperture of a support panel to maintain a second, slotted panel at a predetermined distance from the support panel and having a first molded position and a second assembled position, said fastener assembly comprising: in said first molded position; an externally threaded member having a portion of its head end unthreaded, a first internally-threaded, half-nut member disposed on one side of said externally-threaded member with the threaded portion thereof disposed axially parallel to said externally-threaded member and opening outward in a first direction, a second internally-threaded, half-nut member disposed on the opposite side of said externally-threaded member with its threaded portion axially parallel to said externally-threaded member and opening outward in a second direction opposite said first direction, a pair of thin frangible web members, said web member extending from opposite sides of said threaded member to said first and second internally-threaded members respectively; and said fastener assembly in its second assembled position having a substantially closed threaded bore defined by said first and second internally-threaded members being in face-to-face relation and disposed in the aperture of said support member, said threaded member threadably received in said threaded bore and axially disposed therein a predetermined distance, said unthreaded portion of said externally-threaded member engaging a slot in said second panel.
 7. The molded fastener assembly of claim 6, wherein said unthreaded portion of said externally-threaded member has a flat washer surface at each end thereof, said washer surfaces greater than the width of said engaging slots in said second panel. 